Travel

#The Best Online Travel Sites of 2015

More and more, online travel sites are taking the place of traditional travel agencies. With these web services, you can search for airline tickets, hotels, cruises and package deals to anywhere in the world. This is a much more direct and convenient way to book multiple reservations than working through a travel agent or contacting airlines, hotels and rental agencies independently.

Online Travel Sites: What to Look For

The best online travel sites have a variety of travel plans, options and packages. You'll want to look for sites that offer basic reservations for flights, cruises, hotels and rental cars. Some sites also offer offbeat vacations like safaris. The best online travel sites are easy to use and offer plenty of customization, so you can book exactly what you want for the time and place you want to visit. We researched and ranked online travel sites based on the following categories:

Booking Search Options

Most of the online travel sites we reviewed provide booking for flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises almost anywhere in the world, but some of these sites also provide extras like travel bundles and deals finders. Before booking, look out for small print that may indicate if a ticket or reservation is refundable or comes with a cancellation fee. Most online travel sites will indicate when a hotel allows free cancellation in case your plans fall through. When you select a travel bundle, you can pay for multiple tickets at once for a discounted price, so you can book your flight to Las Vegas and hotel on the strip in the same click.

But all these booking options won't be useful if you can't find what you're looking for in the sea of options. The best travel websites will limit the number of searches you have to conduct by providing plenty of details on their homepage about how to search the site. Sites that let you customize your results based on factors like flight class, hotel star rating or a rental car's transmission type let you eliminate all the options that don't work for you, making it easier to find exactly what you need.

Ease of Use

Let's be honest, sometimes booking travel can be a real headache. Without a travel agent, issues may come up that you'll need to deal with. To avoid a throbbing temple, look for online travel sites with features that minimize the potential for headaches and issues. For example, most sites will send you email confirmation after booking, so you know the job is complete. Other helpful features like predictive popups, calendar-style date selection and flexible dates make booking easier whether you're flying, cruising, driving or sleeping.

However, be aware that most travel websites charge hefty fees for cancellation or changes in itineraries. You'll want to make sure your plans are solid before booking. At the very least, be familiar with the terms of agreement before booking so you know if your plans are refundable or not.

Additional Features

Several of the sites we reviewed offer loyalty programs like frequent flyer miles and rewards programs. These kinds of features from online travel sites can save you money and add extra perks to your travel plans.

If you're planning on a long international trip, look for services that provide some kind of travel insurance to keep you, your family and possessions safe, especially if you're traveling internationally. When you purchase a policy through an online travel site, you'll only be covered for the duration of your trip. Common coverage includes items ranging from emergencies like medical expenses and transport to travel-related headaches like baggage loss. Rental car companies offer similar insurance for their vehicles that cover damage or theft up to $40,000 for just a little more money tacked onto the rental price.

Some online travel sites have mobile applications that can assist you with booking, checking reservation statuses and catching last-minute travel deals to your dream destinations. While the mobile platforms vary from website to website, most of the travel services we reviewed provide an app for iOS.

Help Support

Good support is crucial to the best online travel sites. Not only does a site need multiple methods of contact, like phone, live chat or email, you'll also want to keep an eye out for FAQs sections. These pages provide the answers to the online travel site's most common queries. This is a good source to find basics about topics like cancellation, plan changes and refunds.

In the end, online travel sites make it easy to book multiple reservations like flights, hotels and rental cars in one fell swoop. Websites like these are especially good if you're a deal hunter or frequent flyer. Using a mobile app, you can catch last minute deals and check the status of your travel plans from the palm of your hand so you have more time to enjoy the dream vacation you've been planning.